KBS TD Driver Shaft Review - Specs, Flex, Weight

KBS TD Driver Shaft Review – Specs, Flex, Weight

KBS TD Driver Shaft

KBS is known for their amazing iron shafts.

But with the KBS TD shaft, they are making a bid for wood shafts.

The KBS TD shaft marks the company’s first foray into the driver shaft market and as a KBS fan, I was really excited to see what they could do with graphite wood shafts.

The KBS TD is available in a variety of weights and flexes. It seems that KBS wanted to reach as many different players as possible with their first driver shaft.

But I tested the KBS TD in stiff flex at 70 grams. Read on to see how the KBS TD shaft fared.

KBS TD Driver Shaft Overview

The KBS TD driver shaft is available in three different finishes; but the black/white gloss finish is exclusive to the 40g weight class and the matte black finish is exclusive to the extra stiff and tour extra stiff versions.

For my stiff flex, 70g shaft, I got the black gloss finish. It looked nice but I wish I was able to get the matte black finish. Something about a glossy KBS shaft just doesn’t seem right.

In any case, the KBS TD has a high kick point just below the grip. But the entire shaft flexes well. You can feel the shaft conform to your downswing but it never gets ahead of you.

With the high kick point, I was able to get a mid/low launch out of the KBS TD driver shaft. The transition was smooth even though I would say the entire shaft has an active feel.

This isn’t a stout, stubborn donkey of a shaft. It will work with you and let you know it’s doing its part to increase your club head speed.

70 grams is pretty close to my gamer shaft so the weight felt familiar. As a result, I was able to get comfortable with the KBS TD shaft pretty quickly.

I was reminded of the feel of KBS’s steel iron shafts: all the action was controlled and the transition was remarkably smooth. But there is definitely more activity in this shaft than in most of their steel iron shafts.

The KBS TD driver shaft strikes a really nice balance between speed/fluidity and control/precision.

Why is the KBS TD So Popular?

This is the first driver shaft made by the ultra-popular KBS brand so yeah, it’s going to turn some heads.

Subjectively though, I can see the KBS TD becoming a popular choice for players who want a lightweight driver shaft that offers the control and stability of a heavier shaft.

How Does the KBS TD Driver Shaft Perform?

With the kick point being just under the grip, I was actually expecting lower launch angles.

Alas, my launch angles stayed between 13 and 15 degrees. That’s really the only gripe I have about the performance of this shaft.

My club head speed (just a bit over 101 MPH), ball speed (152 MPH on average) and carry distance (256 yards on average) were all on point.

I got very comfortable with this shaft in very short order. The divergence was tight as well – it never exceeded 11 yards.

I think what impressed me the most was that the KBS TD shaft produced relatively low spin rates.

For a 70g shaft, 2100 RPM spin is pretty impressive. Is the KBS TD shaft the lowest-spinning shaft? No. Is it the longest driver shaft? No.

But the KBS TD is very consistent. And if you choose a KBS TD shaft that is similar in weight to your current driver shaft, the shift will be really easy.

The KBS TD is an easy shaft to pick up. Not bad for KBS’s first driver shaft.

KBS TD Driver Shaft Specs

Specs	KBS TD Driver Shaft
Available flexes	Amateur, regular, stiff, extra stiff, tour extra stiff
Weight	40g, 50g, 60g, 70g, 80g
Butt	.600”, .605”
Tip	.335”
Length	46”, 45”

What Flexes Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?

Amateur and regular flex would be good for 60-70 MPH swingers.

Stiff and extra stiff may suit 71-80 MPH swingers. Tour extra stiff would be good for 81-95 MPH swingers.

What Weights Are Available? What Swing Speeds Do They Suit?

The 40g and 50g versions would be fitting for 60-70 MPH swingers.

The 60g version may work for 71-80 MPH swingers.

The 70g and 80g versions would likely benefit faster swingers in the 81-95 MPH swing speed range.

Why is it So Good?

The KBS TD is a good shaft because it provides a good balance of precision and distance.

The dispersion is tight and the distance is at least reasonable.

KBS TD Driver Shaft First Impressions

I wasn’t a fan of the glossy finish and the branding on the shaft at first – there is lettering on both hemispheres of the shaft so you can’t escape it.

But the feel was immediately comfortable and strangely familiar.